Abstract: 

This study is a collaboration between WSU and UW to conduct a randomized trial of a theoretically guided parent intervention, Letting Go & Staying Connected, a self-administered handbook interactively used by parents and their transitioning college students, designed to increase academic success and prevent substance use and HIV/sex risk behaviors. Letting Go & Staying Connected is the first theory-based, self-administered intervention for parents of transitioning students to incorporate a series of parent-student activities rather than exclusively didactic material. The intervention facilitates growth in parents’ ability to support and monitor their students’ growing autonomy and thereby improve students’ decision-making skills and self-regulation. The goal of the study is to reduce the incidence of death, injury, sexual assault, and academic failure related to substance use and other risk behaviors among college students, who engage in risk behaviors at rates equal to or surpassing those of non-college peers (e.g. binge drinking and marijuana use) — behaviors that pose substantial economic burden to society.